


Demons from the Past

by Evian_99



Category: Vampire Knight
Genre: Battle, Friends to Enemies, Illness, Major Character Injury, Manhunt - Freeform, Post-Betrayal, Temporary Blindness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-10 13:00:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6986125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evian_99/pseuds/Evian_99
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Walking around with a nasty cough for a few days, Kaname finds one morning he has lost his voice. Not wanting others to know, he strays into the forest where he encounters an enemy from his time as ancestor. When Kaname seemingly disappears from his room hunters and vampires alike are sent out in a massive manhunt for the pureblood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When you lose your pureblood

_The saddest thing_  
_about betrayal is that_  
_it never comes from_  
_your enemies._

— Unknown

∞

**Chapter one | When you lose your pureblood**

_In which Zero holds Takuma hostage;_  
_the Night Class is livid and_  
_Yuuki saves the peace._

The night had just begun when Zero Kiryuu barged through the Night Dorms’ entrance. His mood had quickly turned sour after he’d gotten a message from the Hunter Council regarding rumours about the awakening of an ancient pureblood vampire. It was just his luck that of all hunters he had the easiest access to the one vampire that would probably know whether or not the rumours were true.

The Night Class’ Vice-President Takuma Ichijo rose from the couch when he saw Zero’s stormy expression. Quickly blocking the staircase to prevent the hunter from walking upstairs, Takuma asked: “Kiryuu, what brings you here?”

Zero narrowed his eyes when he failed to push the aristocrat to the side. “I need to speak with Kuran,” he spoke, “Now, be a good vampire and let me pass.”

However, Takuma didn’t budge. Without raising his voice, he coldly stated: “Then you have to come back. Kaname-sama is currently resting and I won’t let you disturb his peace.”

Zero grabbed the Bloody Rose with a speed that only a vampire could surpass. With an emotionless mask, he pressed the cold loop against Takuma’s temple. “Let’s try again, shall we?”

Takuma’s eyes flared a dangerous red in anger. “No, we shall not,” he hissed, “You will leave. Right now. Otherwise I will call the rest of the Night Class and force you to leave. With or without violence.”

Zero didn’t even flinch at the vampire’s outburst. Refusing to back down, he clicked the safety from the gun off. “Last warning, Ichijo,” he grumbled, “I need to speak with Kuran. There is no question or option there. I need and will speak with Kuran.”

Takuma gulped. For a second he looked at the gun, but then he collected himself and glared at the hunter. “Then I see no other option.” Without raising his voice, he called out for help and while the other residents of the Night Dorms immediately came, Zero also took action by grabbing the aristocrat in a tight hold and pressing the Bloody Rose against his temple.

Seeing the angry vampires surrounding him, he tightened his hold on the gun. He knew he had the power in the confrontation. “I will shoot him if you won’t let me speak with Kuran”. When he didn’t get an answer he fired a bullet to the ceiling, causing Takuma to flinch from the noise.

Things would have escalated, wasn’t it for Yuuki choosing that exact moment to enter the Night Dorms. “Zero!” she shouted, “Put that gun down!”

Zero glared. “Not until I can speak with Kuran.”

“Zero, put the gun down. Let Takuma-san go and we will speak with Kaname-sama.”

“I protest!”

Yuuki sent a silencing glare to the vampire that spoke. “It surprises me that he hasn’t come down yet. That gunshot was loud enough to wake the dead. Let Zero talk with Kaname, and stop this madness. He probably already is awaiting us.”

A few moments of silence pass before Takuma sighs. “Alright.” When Zero releases him, he immediately goes to stand with the rest of the Night Class, while shaking his head.

Zero and Yuuki climb the stairs, going straight to Kaname’s room. Yuuki is the one who knocks. “Kaname-sama? May Zero and I come in?” she asks, but there is no answer.

With the pureblood remaining unresponsive, Zero opens the door and walks inside, Yuuki following him closely.

The room was cold and empty. Nowhere was a trace of the vampire. Tidy as ever and the bed looked like it hadn’t even been slept in. There was no sign that Kaname had even been here.

“Kaname-sama?” Uncertainty clouded Yuuki’s voice.

“He is not here, blast it!”

Suppressing a shiver, Yuuki walked to the open window. “Could it be that he left on his own accord?”

Zero nodded. “It does seem like it. I do not see any signs of a struggle. The only thing out of place is that opened window, but it hasn’t been forced open.”

Yuuki shook her head. “No, he has to have opened it himself, but why would he do that? The sun is on her highest point.”

Zero shrugged. They both were aware of the damage the sun could do to a vampire. Where low level vampires could handle the sun on a cloudy day, pureblood vampires could already sustain damage by looking into too bright lamps.

“We have to inform the Night Class, maybe they know were Kaname went”, Yuuki said.

Zero huffed. “They were quite adamant that ‘Kaname-sama was resting and wasn’t to be disturbed’.”

“Don’t talk like that! It is rude.” Yuuki playfully hit him on the arm, and couldn’t hide her smile.

Together they walked downstairs to the living room where the Night Class was waiting on chairs and couches.

“Good, folks, can any of you tell me where the hell Kuran is?” Zero asks when he walks into the room.

The vampires gave him confused expressions. One of them rose and asked: “What? He wasn’t in his room? Is that what you are saying?”

“That is exactly what I am saying, Hanabusa”, Zero replied.

“Seiren, Takuma, do any of you know if Kaname had plans?” Yuuki asked.

Both vampires shook their head. “No,” Takuma said, “Before Zero came here, Kaname went upstairs to rest. I do not know where he went.”

Seiren too rose. “It is the middle of the day,” she said, “We have to go after him. The sun will blind him.”

Yuuki walked toward the distraught vampire and laid her hand on her arm. “You forget that you too cannot go out into the sun. You will have to wait until the sun sets, but we, Zero and I that is, will inform Cross and then go out to look for him. When the sun sets, you all are free to join us in our search.”

“Before you go, let me get something.” Takuma walked out of the room, only to return with a cloak. He gave it to Yuuki. “If you find him, let him put this on. It will shield him from the sun. Search for shadowy places. It is most likely that he hides there,” the vampire grabbed her hand, “Please, find him”, he begged.

Yuuki laid her hand on Takuma’s. “We will do everything in our power to find him.” She then looked at Zero. “Come,” she said to him, “let us not waste more time.”


	2. A stab in the back

_In which Kaname suffers from a nightmare_  
_betrayal never comes from your enemies_  
_and vows made on blood aren’t taken lightly._

Far away from the panic in the Night Dorms, lowered Kaname himself panting to the ground. The ground was wet and muddy, ruining his white uniform. Letting his head fall back in misery against the rough bark of the tree, he groaned. His skin was itching, he felt overheated and the sun was just way too bright for comfort.

Being successfully blinded by the sun, Kaname had to grope around in order to grab the tree behind him and push himself upright. A sudden wave of dizziness swept over him, causing him to topple over and fall right back on his knees. He had to get out of the sun, and fast. The warmth was getting to him.

He felt like a fool when he half crawled, half fell a few meters before bumping into another tree. Hugging the wood to regain his stability, the vampire blinked and rubbed his eyes. The few sunrays that managed to peak through the foliage did his eyes no good and left angry burns on his pale skin.

By the time Kaname reached a shallow cave, he all but collapsed in an ungraceful heap on the ground. Being a dozen of bruises and scratches richer, he rolled onto his back. His throat was parched. He now surely had to have lost his voice. It wasn’t the best when he hastily fled from his room, but now it hurt to even swallow.

Kaname grabbed his hair in frustration. Why had he given in? Why hadn’t he thought this through? This sort of impulsive behaviour was so far out of character for him. It was unbefitting too, as a pureblood he had to be the example. He huffed; what an example he was. Skin an angry red, uniform completely ruined, blinded and voiceless. If someone would see him now, they would believe him unfit for his role.

He heard a soft dripping sound further in the cave. Rolling over, he crawled further into the cave until he reached the end. The walls were wet and cool, and in between the grooves of the rock ran a small, but steady stream of blissfully cold water. Collecting it in his palms he splashed the liquid into his face.

After he quenched his thirst, Kaname laid his head with a content sigh against the cold rock and closed his eyes. Falling into a restless sleep, he turned and twisted in a futile attempt to get more comfortable. He heard and felt everything. From the rustling in the bushes just outside his little shelter to the calculated footsteps of hunting animals. The sharp ridges did his burns no good, but he eventually managed to slip into a light slumber.

∞

 ** _He was back_** in his private chambers in the Kuran-manor; an ancient, Victorian building which stood tall and proud on the family’s private grounds. There he sat in his favourite armchair, staring out of the window.

The night was still young, but there a flurry of activity outside on the driveway. High-class vampires from all over the country were arriving in expensive carriages while his staff was working as hard as they could to make sure everything was perfect for tonight’s celebration.

Kaname shook his head and ran a hand through his hair. He knew very well what was being celebrated; he was the host, but he rather not fancy going through it again. He felt caught up in the nightmare; unable to escape and slowly drowning in memories of times long past.

Polite knocking pulled him out of his gloomy thoughts and without a second thought, he called: “Come in, I am sitting in my private library.”

The door was opened and a young messenger emerged. The nervous girl bowed so deep she could almost, but not quite reach her own toes if she wanted to.

The pureblood smiled. “Please speak”, he said.

“My lord, I bring a message from Nakae-san.”

Kaname nodded, knowing the trustworthy vampire in charge of the preparations. “Go on.”

“All preparations have been completed. He said you are free to make your entrance whenever you want.”

He gave her another nod. “Please, inform him that I will come down when all guests have arrived. You are dismissed.”

With another deep bow, the young vampire walked away. Silently closing the door to not disturb her master, who already had his attention elsewhere on the one vampire he would not ever want to see again; Shiro Kyoji.

It was as if he could feel Kaname’s eyes on him, because Kyoji looked back. Deep blue eyes, so dark they could almost be called black, locked with his burgundy red eyes. Feeling the intensity of the gaze, the pureblood shuddered. The moonlight exposed a wicked gleam in those dark irises; a gleam he couldn’t remember seeing in their original encounter.

Diverting his eyes, Kaname rose from his chair and walked away from the window. He paused at his full-body-length mirror, searching for flaws in his appearance. When he didn’t find any, he strode satisfied to the door. Kyoji had arrived and he was ready to make his entrée.

Kaname stood waiting for Nakae to announce his arrival. When two servants opened the doors, all chatter stopped.

Nakae was the first to walk through them. “May I announce lord Kaname Kuran”, he spoke, while immediately walking to the side.

With a stoic expression, Kaname elegantly walked down the marble stairs, only to pause in the middle for a welcoming speech. In his speech, he talked about their victory, which was however small a vital step in reaching their goals; he talked about their loses in battle and promised they wouldn’t be in vain and as last made a toast on a successful cooperation, expressing his hopes on continuing it in the future. O, how naïve he was when he said that.

It wasn’t until later that night that everything escalated. He was alone in a private sitting room with Shiro Kyoji. They sat in front of the hearth, enjoying a glass of exquisite wine. Between them hung a pleasant atmosphere, one that spoke of a deep trust between two grown men in positions that honestly only allow them to relay on themselves.

However, Kaname dreaded what he knew would come next. In that moment he wondered both why he had to relive this and why Kyoji had had this sudden change of heart. When he heard Kyoji take a deep breath, he tried his hardest to prepare himself for the devastating words he would soon hear. Wanting to, but not succeeding to close his eyes he had no other option but to look to Kyoji as he was about to say the inevitable words he so desperately wanted to avoid.

“I have met vampires who share my view and accept my full authority, therefore I will end all contact with you regarding this alliance and this friendship. I bid you a pleasant night.” Kyoji’s gaze was dark and cruel. He knew precisely what impact his words had made on his fellow pureblood. Without wasting his time, he rose and left the room, but not without giving his former friend and ally one last blow.

“Until we meet on the battlefield, Kaname. May the strongest — survive.”

∞

Kaname violently awoke, gasping for air and feeling a deep, familiar ache in his heart. He raised a trembling hand to press against his chest and as if it would make the pain go away, he softly rubbed the area.

He spent the day pondering about his nightmare, having been unable to fall back asleep. Kaname had yet to regain his sight, and the physical pain from his burns helped him focus on something other than his emotional scars that hurt as much as the day they were made. He felt raw and exposed, and hiding in the darkness of a small corner in the cave, didn’t make him feel any safer.

A lone, salty tear escaped his eye and he furiously wiped it away. Only he couldn’t prevent more from following. Muffling his sobs, he hid his face in shame for the exposed weakness.

Kyoji’s betrayal was something he’d never been able to process. Even after all those thousands of years he could feel the guilt eating away from him about being the one that gave the final blow. Still Kaname could see his once trusted friend and ally lying before him on the battlefield; wounded and smeared in blood and filth. Like an animal Kyoji was snarling and hissing, sending Kaname a glare that told him that he was as much of a monster as Kyoji himself was.

“I will get you back on this,” Kyoji had spit, “I will and I swear it on my blood.”

The pureblood shuddered. Making vows on you blood wasn’t something that was taken lightly in the vampire society and it made him feel queasy.

After hours of waiting, the sun had finally set. Stiffly, Kaname rose. His body wasn’t happy with the cramped position he had been holding and that he noticed. Crawling out of the cave, he cursed. Thus far, his eyes hadn’t healed enough for him to see and he knew he had to get back to the academy if he wanted to prevent the Night Class for doing anything rash. They were surely missing him now.

The actual reason about him feeling unsafe in the forest went left unsaid.

Relying purely on his instincts, Kaname ran with the speed of a bullet through the forest. He was near invisible, and the only time one could possibly spot him was when he ran through the clear light of the moon, but then he was only seen as a fast moving blur.

The pureblood came to an abrupt stop when he hear numerous footsteps walking near him. With senses on high-alert, Kaname tried to determine whether or not the creatures were hostile. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on their auras and what he found shocked him. It were vampires, that much was certain, but they were not of the kind Kaname associated himself with. These vampires were on the very other side of the spectrum and had reached the state where only death could cure them.

All around him had gathered an army of level End.


	3. The lethality of purebloods

_In which Kaname finds himself surrounded;_   
_telekinesis isn’t a fun thing when used against you_   
_and the lethality of purebloods is not to be underestimated._

Within seconds all his muscles tensed. Standing in fight-or-flight mode, Kaname decided in a split second that he couldn’t let these level E’s run around unhindered. They threatened Cross Academy and with that all his parents had stood for.

Kaname heard the first level E’s running through the foliage and with a burst of kinetic power the vampires exploded in grey dust. Feeling the vampires closing in on him, he took a fighting stance.

With elongated nails Kaname slashed at the vampires. Killing them and throwing them away with his strength, he showed exactly why purebloods dominate the top of the food chain.

The pureblood worked on instinct, and methodically, almost robotically, killed the savage beasts. He extended his aura to see if he could discover the pureblood behind the army. He knew that these level E’s couldn’t make such an organized attack on their own.

In his distraction one of the attacking vampires managed to make a successful hit. Thus causing Kaname to bleed. Growls erupted around him, making him quickly return to the present and kill the vampire that made the hit.

Letting his aura explode outwards, Kaname panted. He’d gotten a few seconds respite, and used that to check if what he sensed earlier was real.

The vampires were coming at him again, and the pureblood let out a threatening growl. He had identified the one behind this.

Truly, Kyoji couldn’t have possibly chosen a worse moment than this.

∞

**_Chairman’s office - hours earlier_ **

Without knocking Zero barges into Cross’ office. Yuuki follows him immediately behind, and makes sure that the door is closed behind them. When Cross sees their serious expressions he transforms from a cheerful headmaster to the renowned vampire hunter he has been for decades.

Eventually, it is Zero who starts the conversation. “Kuran is missing.”

The widening of Cross’ eyes would have been comical, if the situation was less grave. “What? How? Has he been kidnapped?”

Yuuki shakes her head. “He has left on his own accord, but it is the middle of the day and he hasn’t taken any form of protection with him.”

Cross frowned. “Does any of the Night Class students have an idea where he might have gone to?”

“No. That’s why we came to you. The Night Class obviously cannot go out now for the sun will harm them as well, but we,” Yuuki pointed to herself and Zero, “can go out and search for him.”

Zero added: “Yuuki and I will head for the woods now, and we were wondering if you could inform the Hunter’s Association for I have the feeling that something very bad is about to happen.”

Cross nodded and rose from his chair. “I will go and inform the Association immediately as will I inform the Vampire Council. Go now, and be careful. I do not know what caused Kaname to go out without leaving a message, but he is most unpredictable right now.”

“And that makes him dangerous,” Zero dryly continues, “Don’t worry, Cross. We know how to handle Kuran.”

With a deep sigh, Cross nods. “Take care”, he whispers.

Yuuki sends him a small smile. She wants to say some words of comfort, but doesn’t know what to say. “We will go now”, she eventually manages to say. Together with Zero she walks out of the office, and breaking into a sprint they head for the woods.

∞

A shiver of disgust runs down over his spine, when a low chuckle resonates over the battlefield. Kaname’s aura darkens significantly and he gives a warning growl. “Show yourself, coward!” he thundered.

Out of the foliage emerges a figure clad in long, black robes. He makes a disapproving sound and shakes his head. “Dear, dear Kaname,” he smirked, “Missed me?”

“Never”, Kaname hisses. Still fiercely battling the vampires around him, he sends a withering glare towards his former ally.

With a grin that shows sharp, gleaming teeth, Kyoji spreads his hands; releasing a wave of kinetic power.

Kyoji’s burst of power, throws Kaname with high speed in a group of trees. Groaning in agony, Kaname tries to rise, but is immediately forced down by Kyoji’s telekinesis.

The level E’s are on him again. Clawing and scratching with their sharp claws. One of them manages to sink his fangs deep in the area above his collarbone and Kaname knows he isn’t able to win this fight.

With great extortion, Kaname manages to throw the vampires off him. Kyoji is still working his power on him, making the pureblood feel like he is wading through a deep pool a mud. His movements are sluggish and agonizingly slow. He feels himself rapidly weakening and if he wants to survive he has to find a safe spot to recharge.

Crying out in pain, he crumbles to the ground. A level E had caught him in the back. Cursing his inability to properly see what’s going on, Kaname crawls through thorny bushes, falling into a shallow pool of mud.

Covered in scratches, bruises, blood and other filth, Kaname set out for a run. He couldn’t head to the academy, but he could try to find a safe haven.

If only Kyoji would allow him that.


	4. The final confrontation

 

That night, Kaname dreamt of Yuuki. He saw her as a child, before Rido came and destroyed their peaceful family. He saw her the night he saved her from a rogue vampire shortly after the deadly attack, and he saw her becoming prefect at Cross Academy. Next flashes were of Cross Academy too. About the Day and the Night Class, the quest for peaceful coexistence and the slow realisation of Haruka and Yuuri’s dreams.

All these flashes of memories filled him with energy. He couldn’t let Kyoji get his way! He wouldn’t allow it. Kyoji couldn’t get away with destroying all his hard work.

And the only option to stop Kyoji was to kill him in a way that he couldn’t return anymore.

∞

When Kaname awoke, he felt as if he was in a haze. He blearily looked around him and slowly took his surroundings in. Again he found himself in a cave. A stinky cave.

Scrambling up and stretching his stiff muscles, he checked his wounds. They had almost all healed, perks of being a pureblooded vampire. However, he would feel sore for the next few day.

Making his way out of the cave, he scanned for hostile creatures. Finding none, he set out to go find his enemy. Something that proved harder than anticipated, but in the end he did succeed.

“Kyoji!” Kaname shouted, or he tried to shout. His voice had still not come back, and the only sound he produced was a crooked cry.

Instead of confronting his enemy by words, he sneaked up the hill where Kyoji stood. Making a lunge he set his claws in the vampire’s back. What followed was only to be described as a cat fight. Halfway into the fight Zero, a couple of hunters and the Night Class arrived, but the two fighting purebloods didn’t notice them coming.

While Kaname was busy fighting Kyoji, the others made quick work of destroying the level E’s still present on the battlefield.

∞

That night, safely stuffed away under his delightfully soft blankets, Kaname had to answer the one question he desperately wanted to avoid.

“Was a meager cold really worth all that trouble?”

Kaname thought not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this story. I apologize for not updating sooner, and the short ending, but I had a writer’s block and just didn’t manage to put the words on the paper. No matter how often I tried. In the future I will probably rewrite the story and improve it, but for now I wanted to give you a ending for I know how frustrating it is when you are left with a cliffhanger.
> 
> Again my apologies, but I hope you did enjoy the story and I want to thank you for reading it and my heartfelt thanks for all of you who gave me kudo’s and especially Adalie Delacroix, Adalie+Delacroix and nadia for commenting. You have all made my day.
> 
> With lots of love, Elaen1993


End file.
